Month: November 2014

Black Friday, what used to be the biggest shopping day of the year. It used to mean bringing businesses out of the red and into the black but now? With only couple of days away will Black Friday continue to keep its name? Here’s what they had to say, “industry watchers forecast retail sales for the Black Friday deal period, from Thanksgiving day through Cyber Monday, to be stronger than last year when a cool consumer spending climate led to heated competition and aggressive promotions throughout November, taking the pizzazz out of Black Friday. Now, with lower gas prices, healthy job growth, and a rising stock market, consumers are in more of a gift-buying mood, leading to prospects for a cheerier holiday season overall and a solid showing on Nov. 28.” To read more, CLICK HERE.

I love traveling, you wouldn’t have to convince me to get out there and explore. And what better time than when you no longer have to dread the end of your vacation to go back to your job. According to today’s article, travel during retirement may lead to a health retirement. Here’s one reason, “you can go on an educational vacation through an organization like Road Scholar, or attend a cultural week at a place like the Chautauqua Institution. But no matter where you travel, you will be meeting new people, steering through unfamiliar places and trying out different things – all activities that stimulate and challenge the brain, which in turn promotes good cognitive function. Travelers who search out different environments are exposed to unfamiliar cultures, which stretches their imaginations and forces them to puzzle out new problems.” To read more, CLICK HERE.

Today’s article brings us a short and sweet retirement checklist to complete before you get your retirement party. Here’s one item you’ll want to take care of, “while you were working, your employer may have handled your investments, and they were probably focused on growth. Now is the time to shift to a more conservative asset allocation, perhaps by putting more money in bonds or selling your high-flying social network stocks and investing in lower growth but more stable telephone, utility or industrial companies. The idea is to keep a balance of investments that are not too risky or conservative and will offer the best odds of keeping the money flowing in your later years.” To read more, CLICK HERE.

Thanksgiving is just days away but here’s what may be coming ahead for stocks. Here’s what they had to say, “stocks rallied Friday after China’s central bank announced a surprise rate cut to help its property market amid weaker growth. Earlier Friday, European Central Bank President Mario Draghi opened the door for a more expansive asset purchase program in Europe, which also boosted stocks and other risk assets.” To read more, CLICK HERE.

Today’s article creates an important check list for nearly retired people. Here’s what they had to say, “for people looking at retirement in the next five years, it’s the perfect time to make sure things are in order. This is more a to-do list than a must-do list. But it’s a perfect time to start that diet and a perfect time to dust off that retirement plan.” To check out the list, CLICK HERE.

Today’s article highlights ten stock picks from Morgan Stanley. Here’s one, “Walt Disney: The home of Mickey Mouse has a nice one-two punch tied to the economy. First, it stands to gain from stronger ad spending on its ESPN and ABC TV networks. Secondly, Disney (DIS) cashes in when consumers spend more money at its theme parks, an area the company has been investing heavily in recently, and on merchandise.” To see all of them, CLICK HERE.

So, you’ve done all that you’ve been told you were supposed to do for preparing to retire. You’ve saved up your money and now it’s time to go. But is your current city a great city to retire in? You’d be surprised what the top cities are in today’s article on the best cities to grow old in. Here’s what they had to say, “…the Milken Institute, a nonpartisan, nonprofit think tank, has come up with a comprehensive new ranking of U.S. cities that offer the best quality of life for retirees, specifically those who would rather “age in place” than uproot themselves during their golden years. The report is a follow-up to is 2012 index, but the methodology has changed significantly, Milken says. ” To read more, CLICK HERE.

There are so many options for stocks it can be hard to separate the good from the bad but today’s article highlights five stocks that they believe to be toxic. Here’s what they had to say, “I’m not just talking about picking the right stocks — avoiding the wrong stocks is just as important. And the stats show that it’s been easy to pick the wrong stocks this year. But that doesn’t mean you need to keep them…” To read more, CLICK HERE.

Planning to save for retirement can feel difficult but hopefully today that changes. Today’s article shares twelve simple ways to save for your retirement. Here’s what they had to say, “it’s easy to make small changes that will make a big difference in your retirement savings, say financial experts Lynnette Khalfani-Cox, founder of AskTheMoneyCoach.com and author of Zero Debt: The Ultimate Guide to Financial Freedom, and Elli Dai, director of participant services for Wells Fargo Institutional Retirement and Trust.” To read them all, CLICK HERE.

Today’s article features a check list of things you should get done before your retirement. Here’s one, “raise cash. Your paychecks are about to stop. So as you downshift from stocks, move that money into a savings or money market account to fund at least one year of expenses, says Judith Ward, T. Rowe Price senior financial planner.” To check all of them out, CLICK HERE.